Why Portugal are preparing for their clash with Denmark... in Sweden

COPENHAGEN — Following a successful stop in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, Portugal's Nordic expedition continues with all eyes on Parken Stadium, the venue for Thursday's showdown between Denmark and Portugal. Until then, however, the Portuguese squad will complete their Scandinavian sweep by setting up base camp... in Sweden.

Just hours after their victory over Erling Haaland and company, the Seleção flew to Copenhagen on Monday morning before immediately boarding a team bus bound for Malmö.

The choice came down to logistics, but that was not the only factor. Beyond shielding the players and coaching staff from the hustle and bustle of a major European capital during a four-day stay, the move to Malmö was also a sporting decision. Both the FPF and Jorge Jesus agreed that the historic Swedish club's facilities offer ideal preparation conditions, making Sweden the perfect training base.

While preparing in Sweden for a match in Denmark might raise an eyebrow at first glance, the practical logistics mean there is nothing strange about the arrangement.

The geography is straightforward: despite an international border and the Øresund Strait separating the two cities, Copenhagen and Malmö sit roughly 40 kilometres apart. Curiously, there are no direct ferries operating between them. Travel is done by road or rail via the 16-kilometre Øresund link, which combines a nearly eight-kilometre bridge with an undersea tunnel. All told, the crossing rarely takes more than 35 to 40 minutes.

There is, however, one catch: at a time when traditional taxis have taken a back seat, making the trip via Uber is not an option since the service does not officially operate in Denmark. As such, standard cabs will have to suffice, unless travelling by private car or taking the train—a considerably cheaper alternative.

Portugal will thus visit all three Scandinavian nations in less than a week, travelling from Norway to Denmark with Sweden serving as an extended stopover. Training sessions on Monday and Tuesday (17:00 Portuguese time) will be held at Malmö FF's Eleda Stadion. Wednesday's final dress rehearsal will take place at Parken, ahead of Thursday's fixture. On Friday, the squad return home to prepare for another Nordic test on the 4th, when they host Norway at the Estádio do Dragão...